Apparatus for the cure of curved spine



inn sTaTns PATENT Truce..

ELEAZER GRAIN, OF SPRINGFIELD, VERMONT.

APPARATUS FOR THE CURE OF CURVED SPINE, ISERNIA, &C.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 2,913, dated January 16, 1843; Antedated July 16, 1842.

T 0 all wiz-0m t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ELEAZER GRAIN, vof Springfield, in the county of lVindsor, in the State of Vermont, have invented a new and improved surgical apparatus for the treatment and cure of weak backs, curvature of the spine, chronic affections of the chestand stomach, weakness of the sides, abdominal weakness, and the class of complaints requiring an abdominal supporter; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof.

|The said apparatus consists of three parts or portions, viz: an abdominal supporter, a spring or rather, pair of springs to support and sustain the spine, and a pair of shoulder braces or shoulder straps to hold the shoulders back and give room for the action of the lungs.

To construct the said article I make use of two springs (as exhibited at a Figure I of the annexed drawings). are intended to be fitted one on each side of the spine and are of such a degree of intensity and stiffness and therefore of such a material as the patient may require; I'have generally used steel but have reason to believe that whalebone and even wood may insome cases be used with propriety. The direct and principal use of this pair of springs is to support the spine, but they also by passing up the back between the shoulder blades hold the shoulder braces after described) in their place, and they are likewise each riveted to a steel hoop (as exhibited at b Fig. I) which passes' partly around the patients body above the hip, which pair of hoops both together clasp an abdominal supporter firmly against the.por tion of the abdomen which may most require the pressure. These hoops too, are of such curvature as will fit the patients size, and of a stiffness or elasticity adapted to his strength and to the requirements of his disease. The object and purpose of this pair of hoops being to hug the abdominal support firmly against the abdomen and also to hug the springs firmly to the back of the patient so that his belly and back will mutually sustain each other. Any surgeon will of course know that between infant and adult patient-s there will be different degrees of stiffness required in these hoops. For

adult patients I have both for the hoops and springs used the sheet steel number 20 and of the width of ve eighths of an inch.

These springs (herein To prevent rust it is well to cover these springs with a coating of japan varnish or toV tin them.

Abdominal supporters as is well known to surgeons should in size, shape and material be adapted to the wants of each particular case. They are pads of such size, shape,

hardness or softness as may be required, and they are to be gently pressed against such parts of the person as uterine or abdominal diseases may render necessary. A minute description of any one particular pad it is presumed is not here necessary. rIhe pad I use in cases of general weakness of the abdominal muscles, as Valso where the object is to merely sustain the spine, is a tin plate of a crescent shape and of a concavity ittingthe convex form of the belly and I cover it with soft wash leather. This form of the pad is exhibited c Fig. I. It is also well to cover the inner surface of this pad with india rubber cloth to exclude the perspiration. Whatever the shape of the pad may be it is hugged against the abdomen by connecting it with the hoops above described, and this connection is formed by having the forward end of each hoop slide through a stout brazen loop fitted to receive it, and this loop is firmly riveted to a steel spring which at its other end is riveted to the pad; the lengthv of these lastl named,k springs must of course be adapted as alsoV their curvature to the part of the abdomen requiring the pressure of the pad.

Vhen the metallic part of the apparatus is finished the back springs and all but the forward portion of the hoops are inclosed in wash leather; and the back springs are also stitched between two thicknesses of firm clot-h. And to this covering near the upper end of each spring one of a` pair of shoulder braces is attached Vby buckles (as seen at f and g Fig. III.) But in stitching said springs into the cloth they are placed at such a distance apart as will prevent their pressure on the spine or rather will leave room for the spine between them. (See a Fig. I and e Fig. III). The shoulder braces'may be attached by means of lacing instead of buckles, or by sewing.

I have said that the forward part of each hoop slides through a brass loop connected with the pad. This sliding' is required lst whenever one of the hoops is to be` liberated from the loop and pad to enable the patient to put on or take off the apparatus. 2d it is necessary in exchanging one pad for another; 3d to make the hoops fit the abdomen whether when rst adjusted or during subsequent motion by breathing or otherwise. To eect all these purposes and yet prevent all accidental withdrawals of the hoops there is a contrvance which is exhibited at Fig. II. The loop is large enough to receive the hoop (7c) and another shorter piece of steel of similar width and thickness (l). The hoop has a slot in its end .which after sliding through the loop slides under` the button (at n) and another button or rivet (at b) on the short piece snaps into an eyelet hole (at o) in the hoop so that the hoop and its shorter piece of steel will slide through the loop together. And when it is desired to Withdraw the hoop from the loop, the above operation is reversed, the hoop being sprung till the button or rivet (at b) is withdrawn from its eyelet, and then the hoop is withdrawn from its loop, and the apparatus is opened and ready to clasp the patients body.

that of the shoulder straps and abdominal supporter in the manner and for any of the purposes specified above. Y

In testimony whereof I have hereto atixed my signature. y

ELEAZER GRAIN.

lVitnesses:

GEO. WV. PORTER, THOMAS DANA. 

